Fender Japan Export Stratocasters

Please read intro first here Fender Japan Export

The first Japanese made models to feature in the US pricelists appear in January 1985. This is prior to the sale to the Schultz team so again we see that the import of Japanese Fenders was not solely due to lack of production facilities. The 1985 Pricelist has several Japanese Export Strats
Contemporary Strat Deluxe Models 27-5700 and 27-5800
Contemporary Strat Models 27-4100 27-4200 and 27-4400
Standard Strat Models 27-4300 and 27-4302 (LH Model)
There were also a couple of Squier Models

Fender Contemporary Stratocaster Deluxe 27-5700 and 27-5800

These are basically the same guitar differing only by the pickups the 5700 is an HSS and the 5800 an HH. Both sport the System 3 Fender Trem unit. The System III tremolo system was designed by John Page, Dan Smith, Charlie Gressett, and John Carruthers. The System III tremolo systems were manufactured in Germany by Schaller.
Specs are

Body Basswood
Neck Maple D shape Bi flex truss rod adj at headstock Microtilt
Fretboard Rosewood 22 Medium Jumbo Frets 12" radius
Headstock see picture
Tuners Fender Schaller type
Pickups
Controls 1 volume 1 tbx both black F stamped 1 mini toggle coil split 5 way switch on 27-5700 3 way on 27-5800
Nut Locking lever operated
Hardware
Bridge Fender sys 3 unit
Pickguard Single ply 11 hole black
Colours Black, Pewter, Frost White, Burgundy Mist or Emerald Mist
Years available 1985 to 1987 but doesn't appear in the March 1987 US price list

Fender Contemporary Stratocaster

As mentioned earlier 3 of these were in the January 1985 price list
27-4100, 27-4200 and 27-4400
27-8100 was added in the 1986 price list
28-4400 and 28-8100 were added in 1987. These are not really new models when Fender changed the beginning from 27 to 28 it was the same guitar but the Fender branded bridge had been changed to a Kahler or Floyd Rose branded one. Sometimes there may be other minor changes such as colour and both versions may be available at the same time.
by 1988 April list they had gone A lot of the basic specs are the same but here they are for completeness

	27-4100	27-8100	28-8100	27-4200	27-4400	28-4400
Body	Basswood	Basswood	Basswood	Basswood	Basswood	Basswood
Neck	Maple D Profile chrome neck plate microtilt	Maple D Profile Black finish black neckplate and microtilt	Maple D Profile Black Finish black neckplate and microtilt	Maple D Profile Black Finish black neckplate and microtilt	Maple D Profile Black Finish black neckplate and microtilt	Maple D Profile Black Finish black neckplate and microtilt
Fretboard	Rosewood 22 Medium Jumbo Frets 12" radius	Rosewood 22 Medium Jumbo Frets 12" radius	Rosewood 22 Medium Jumbo Frets 12" radius	Rosewood 22 Medium Jumbo Frets 12" radius	Rosewood 22 Medium Jumbo Frets 12" radius	Rosewood 22 Medium Jumbo Frets 12" radius
Headstock	Small Black CBS Logo 2 Butterfly string trees	Small Black CBS Logo no string trees	Small Black CBS Logo no string trees	Small Black CBS Logo no string trees	Small Black CBS Logo no string trees	Small Black CBS Logo no string trees
Pickups*	HSS Alnico	HSS Alnico	HSS Alnico	H Alnico	H Alnico	H Alnico
Bridge	Sys 2	Sys 1	Kahler Fulcrum	Sys 1	Sys 1	Kahler Fulcrum
Tuners	Chrome Schaller Style Fender Stamped	Gotoh Fender Japan Stamped	Gotoh Fender Japan Stamped	Gotoh Fender Japan Stamped	Gotoh Fender Japan Stamped	Gotoh Fender Japan Stamped
Controls all black F stamped	1 Vol 1 TBX with 5 way switching coil split	1 Vol 1 TBX with 5 way switching	1 Vol 1 TBX with 5 way switching coil split	1 Volume 1 Tone 3 way switching	1 Volume	1 Volume
Pickguard	3 ply black 11 hole	3 ply black 11 hole	3 ply black 11 hole	3 ply black 11 hole	None	None
Nut	Lever operated locking 42mms	42 mms plus String Clamp	42 mms plus String Clamp	42 mms plus String Clamp	42 mms plus String Clamp	42 mms plus String Clamp
Colours	Black, Pewter, Frost White or Burgundy Mist	Black, Pewter, Frost White or Burgundy Mist	Black, Pewter, Frost White or Candy Apple Red	Black, Pewter, Frost White or Burgundy Mist	Black, Pewter, Frost White or Burgundy Mist	Black, Pewter, Frost White or Candy Apple Red

* I have seen a comment that the Humbuckers on these are Seymour Duncan SH-6 80s but have no other evidence to support this.

Fender Japan Standard Strat 27-4300 and 4302 and others

You often see these advertised as Contemporary Strats because they have locking trem units but they are officially Standard Strats. Probably called standard because they are SSS. The 4302 is just the Maple neck version. The models in the title launched 1985
In 1987 the Kahler Traditional Versions were added 28-4300 and 4302
in 1988 Kahler Double locking (described in the price list just as Floyd Rose Licenced) Versions arrived 25-4300 and 4302 presumably used 25 because 28 was taken. All these models have a lot of their specs the same so here is what is common to all models.
These are essentially variations on the Domestic ST557 and ST562

Body Basswood Polyester finish
Neck Maple soft D 4 bolt neckplate with plastic gasket Microtilt
Fretboard Maple or Rosewood 22 Medium Jumbo Frets
Headstock Small White CBS logo
Tuners Gotoh style sealed diecast
Pickups 3 single coil Alnico
Controls White Usual Strat
Nut 1.625" String Clamp on the 27 Normal Locking on the 25 and 28
Hardware Chrome
Bridge see below
Pickguard White 3 ply 11 hole
Colours see below

27-4300 and 4302 Bridge is a Fender System 1
Colours are Black, Candy Apple Red, Brown Sunburst, Arctic White or Lake Placid Blue

28-4300 and 4302
Bridge is a Kahler Traditional Trem Unit
Colours are as 27-4300

25-4300 and 4302
Bridge here is a Kahler Spyder Double Locking Trem
Colours as 27-4300

Standard Stratocaster again

Running alongside the Standard Strats above were Squier Standard Strats 27-4600 27-4602 and 27-4622, more like standard strats in that they had vintage style trem units these were re-branded as Fender late in 1988 there was also a hardtail model from 1987 27-8700. The only difference I can find between the Squier branded and the Fender branded is the name on the headstock.
These appear in the early 1990 Frontline but not the later ones. These are very much like the ST357 and ST362 models, it is conceivable that at the time if you ordered one from the Frontline magazine it could be Korean, but that's only speculation.
There is also a 12 String model 27-8900

Body Basswood Polyester finish
Neck Maple shallow U shape Satin finish
Fretboard Maple or Rosewood 21 Jumbo Frets 7.25" radius
Headstock Small CBS logo 2 roller type or Butterfly string trees
Tuners Gotoh style sealed diecast
Pickups 3 single coil ceramics
Controls White Usual Strat
Nut 1.625"
Hardware Chrome
Bridge Vintage trem or strat hardtail
Pickguard White 8 hole single ply*
Colours Lake Placid Blue, Torino Red, Black or Arctic White
The Left handed model only came in Black or Arctic White
The Hardtail and the 12 String had Candy Apple Red instead of Torino Red otherwise as above
The 12 String has a 12" radius and a different headstock

*The pickguard surprises me I would have expected the Maple model to have that pickguard but the Rosewood model to have a 3 ply 11 hole guard but that doesn't seem to be so.

The HM (Heavy Metal) Strat Series

These first appeared in the 1988 price list 3 model numbers the 25-8100 and 25-8102 being essentially the same guitar except for the Fretboard and the 25-4400 being a single HB model. US made Lace Sensor HM models soon replaced these in the price list although some Japanese ones re-emerged in the 90s. These are 319mm scale.
They had flash headstocks some very radical colours and were quite a departure for Fender. The domestic equivalent is the SHM 680
Specs 8100 and 8102


Body Basswood
Neck Maple 4 bolt deluxe shape neckplate (see pictures) Fender USA written on
Fretboard Maple or Rosewood 24 Jumbo Frets 17" radius
Headstock Small black stylised Strat written on and By Fender
Tuners Black Gotoh style sealed diecast
Pickups 2 Hot rod single coils probably ceramic and Dragster Ceramic Humbucker
Controls Black Usual Strat plus mini toggle for coil tap
Nut Locking
Hardware Black
Bridge Kahler Spyder
Pickguard None
Colours Black, Bright White, Flash Pink, Ice Blue, Razz Berry


Specs 4400


Body Basswood
Neck Maple 4 bolt deluxe shape neckplate Fender USA written on
Fretboard Rosewood 24 Jumbo Frets 17" radius
Headstock Small black stylised Strat written on and By Fender
Tuners Black Gotoh style sealed diecast
Pickups 1 Dragster Ceramic Humbucker
Controls Black 1 vol 1 tone plus mini toggle for coil tap
Nut Locking
Hardware Black
Bridge Kahler Spyder
Pickguard None
Colours Black, Bright White, Flash Pink, Ice Blue, Razz Berry


John C is an important contributor to both the Strat and Tele forums and often contributes to my website. Comment from him on HM Strats and on the HRR ones later on.
- From the best I can research the HM Strats from 1989-1992 that are listed as "US HM Strats" were really just assembled in the USA; the bodies and necks have FujiGen stampings on them and were evidently shipped over fully finished from Japan.

As we reach the end of the 80s we now have new models appearing as Reissue later to become called Collectables. In particular
27-9100 and 27-9302 Paisley and Blue Flower Strats
27-9202 and 27-9222 68 Stratocaster
27-1000 60s Strat 27-1002 and 27-1102 50s strats

These are mainly covered in my other pages start with my Collectables page and work from there.
Link Collectables

The 1990s tended to show less Japanese export models in the catalogues but there were some and also some uncatalogued.
I will cover these on the next page. Link Export Strats 1990 onwards

Update October 2024
Richard Morgan has sent me some details of what is an Export ST72 here are his comments
After studying your site, Fuzz Faced, and 21 Frets it appears the guitar has characteristics of quite a few different guitars. S/N printed on the headstock suggests early E (as does low number); lack of body stamping is similar to some later JV 72 models; pickups, 0.1uf green cap, ground bus, look like those used on the SQ and ST72-125PRD (mine also has the full shielding like the PRD); appears to be a domestic spec but has EX on the neck heel (like some export JV’s). All very confusing!I bought the guitar from the family of the original owner after he passed away, along with a 1988 USA Champ 12 and a Feb 88 USA Strat Plus in fiesta red. He’d had the USA guitar and amp imported from the US, but the family didn’t know anything about the MIJ.

Thanks for the reply, I did a little more research and apparently the 66K code on the pots is June 86, so the guitar could be a late 86 or early 87.

Some of Richard's pictures